Money as we all know it or has we have grown to know and thought to think is just a means of legal tender. However, money is a broad concept that has experienced different meanings over the ages and have taken different shapes and forms.
About a decade ago, when we speak of money, it simply exists as coins, bank notes or to put it more broadly any physical element that holds value and used as a means of exchange or purchase but in this time and day the ideology about money has transcended with time and we now see money beyond the physical currency we all know of but even much broader as electronic currency.
The idea of money was birthed as a result of trade. there was a need to have a universal and general acceptable currency that carries value equivalent to what was to be sold or bought. The concept of money started from the era of trade by barter where commodities were bought with commodities and it evolved to commodities being bought with cowrie shells which was seen as way back as 1200 BCE as items that holds value and can be exchanged for commodities. The use of cowrie shells were the very first idea of money.
Money from this time has transcended and evolved all through ages to coins, leather money, paper money, gold, credit cards and crypto. However as we experience this diverse forms of money and how it has evolved over the years, the purpose and ideology of money hasn't changed from being and object that depicts value and can be exchange for something.
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Going from the generally acceptable narrative, money is much more than a legal tender as we all want to believe. The idea that money conveys value ultimately invalidates it has just being a means of legal tender. MOney has being a measure of wealth, worth and affluence over the year which is a concept that birthed the idea of riches and richest men. You would agree with me that the worth of a man is majorly measured by the amount of money he possesses which ultimately depicts his value in the society.
Money isn't just to buy commodities or stock or what have you, holding enough money or possessing enough money per time can make one influential and be part of the elites in the society.
Further to this, Money likewise is a motivation for a lot of negative and positive things happening in the world today. Money carries the power to influence ones decisions and convictions. the love and lust for money and what money can do have made men gone wild and do despicable things even beyond their personal convictions.
Money in whatever forms it possess has always been a motivating factor. Several years before Christ, Joseph was sold for silver coins by his brothers. What motivated the sale wasn't hatred for the brother but for the value they would get from selling him off.
The world leaders today are motivated by selfish interests and seeking for world dominance to control both the human and natural resources which ultimately translates to power and more money.
A robber steals for money, a kidnapper kidnaps for money, a ritualist kill for money, a worker works for money and the list keeps going. All through the life of man we are hell bent on chasing this money and keep going in the circles this life is wasted.
I thank God for my Parents who brought me up in a good way instilling deep rooted morals in me and the understanding of what money is and how it is a major part of our lives.
Growing up i hear people say the love of money is the root of all evil but i beg to differ as what motivates evils isn't necessarily the love for money but the extreme need for it. we all love money, we all need more money but to what extent are we willing to go to get this money especially in a society where you can literally be invincible when your worth does not amount to anything. As @gbenga noted in the post Money Myths People Shared With Me as a Child
Another lie was told to me when I was walking with a man and he pointed at a building telling me that the owner of the building was an evil person. I was very confused and asked why is the owner evil, and he answered, "Money is the root of all evil". having money can't make you an evil person, in fact money isn't evil at all. This quote is often common among poor people who believe that rich people are wicked and would do anything to remain at the top without giving chance to the poor to get up the ladder as well.
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Conclusively, what brings money isn't the love for it or the need for it but the work for it. for you to have money you have to earn it, make it, build it, work for it.